


Through the eyes of others

by nothing_much



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-02-23
Packaged: 2019-03-21 17:46:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13746093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nothing_much/pseuds/nothing_much
Summary: The first few chapters will be seen through a nameless boyfriend's eyes, The last is from Vic's POV





	1. First meeting

**Author's Note:**

> This is me trying to explore my way of writing. I'm not happy with it, I've written all chapters, and will post them as soon as I'm finished working with them.

I usually don’t look at other people when I’m out on date night. But I couldn’t keep my eyes from the beautiful blonde in the corner. Every couple of minutes I kept looking over to the corner table he was sat at. Aaron was going to start wondering what I was looking at soon. The blonde didn’t look up from his company though. I wondered if they were on a date, like we were, or if it was a business meeting. Could be both. The woman seemed older than the blonde, but that didn’t really say anything. Maybe it was the coldness that seemed to vapour between them. Still. They didn’t seem like they were in a relationship. I caught my breath, well I am in one. And my boyfriend is sitting right in front of me seeming totally oblivious.

I looked over at Aaron, his short dark hair, his five o’clock shadow, the muscles on his fit body. He was good looking, nice to be around and an excellent boyfriend. Still, I couldn’t keep my eyes of the blonde man in the corner. A young girl came up to their table and sat down. She looked a lot like the blonde, so I assumed that they were siblings.

Suddenly Aaron turned around. I could see a smile form on his face, and he got up, excused himself and walked over to the table with the blonde man. He started talking with the girl. He seemed to know her. I got curious, so I followed him over, and made him introduce me to the girl. Her name was Vic, he introduced her as a close friend. She introduced her brother, Robert and his ex-wife. As I assumed they were not on the best of terms. The ex. got up and left, and Aaron and I sat down in the company of Vic and Robert. I seated myself opposite so that I could look without suspicion.

And I looked. While Vic and Aaron were chatting away, bantering with each other and having a very light headed conversation. They seemed happy to see each other and catch up. I know Aaron wasn’t home as much as he liked since he’d moved in with me. I tried to strike up a conversation with Robert, but he kept listening in, asking Vic and Aaron questions about the village, and the people in it. Seemed like he’d been living close to it for a while. Meeting up with Vic every now and then. But he seemed to have missed out on the gossip. They all caught up now. I didn’t feel at all left out. I had something to watch.

I wondered what Aaron would say if he noticed my staring at another man. I hoped he wouldn’t notice. I was kind of infatuated already, and I only saw him about half an hour ago and had known his name for less than 10 minutes. He was gorgeous. He had a blonde tousle on his head, and big blueish eyes. He was tall, lean and had a smirk that seemed almost permanent on his face. Even if Aaron didn’t notice me staring Robert seemed to have noticed. He didn’t look uncomfortable with it. He seemed to appreciate being the recipient of my ogling.

After a while it seemed obvious to Vic too. She was very receptive and noticed many things. She shook her head at me. Robert left for the gents I followed him. He went into a cubicle. I couldn’t really follow him in there, so I washed my hands and waited for him to come out. He looked at me quite dismissively and asked if there was anything I wanted. I gave him half a smile and decided to go for it. I made an advance at him. Walked closer and reached out to touch him. He looked at me, in the eyes, and moved away. “I’m straight” he said, “and you’re with Aaron” he continued with a bit of acid in his voice.

He left the room, and I stood there. Was he going to tell Vic and Aaron. How was Aaron going to react? Had I blown it with him now? I gathered myself and went out again. It seemed Robert had kept his mouth shut. I wasn’t worried. I knew where I had Aaron. I kept staring at Robert though, couldn’t keep my eyes away. It seemed. Vic left for the ladies room, and Robert ordered some drinks for us all. Him and Aaron started to talk about cars. They seemed to be as into them as each other.

Robert told Aaron about the cars he had had during his marriage. They pined together over some Audi, and an Aston Martin. But the car Robert drove now, seemed to be a good one too. As Vic came back they excused themselves and went out to look at it. They were like school kids. Now I felt left out. But Aaron would be suspicious if I came along. He knew that I had zero or less interest in cars. It was something that took you from point A to point B. We didn’t have cars in common. We had a lot of other things in common. But not cars.

I tried to make a polite conversation with Vic, she seemed nice. Really nice. She worked in a pub kitchen, and I’m a chef, so we got into a discussion of the difference between a pub kitchen and one in a restaurant. She was bright and fun to talk to. It took a pint before I started to wonder where Aaron and Robert went. When I asked her about them she shrugged. “You should know that if Aaron gets close to a vintage car…” I nodded. He could spend hours under the hood. Vic lost interest after that and started fiddling with her phone. I guess I wasn’t that interested. I ordered another pint and looked around the place. Half way through the beer I spotted Aaron and Robert walking through the door, they seemed elated, and where laughing. Both of them looked like they were having fun. I felt a ping of jealousy. More that Aaron seemed to get to enjoy Robert more than me. Or rather that they seemed to enjoy each other. As they came back to the table they stayed engrossed in their conversation about Roberts vintage Porsche. I lost interest in the conversation, but I still had problems with tearing my eyes from Robert.

Aaron nudged me an hour later. “Time to go?” he asked me, and I nodded. We stood up to leave, and Robert looked around for his sister. We left as he went over to her and her company. I followed him with my eyes until he walked out of my sight. We walked out and took a cab home. When we came home we had the biggest fight we'd had in a while. It came out of fear of Aaron finding out what I had done, and jealousy, of him and Robert. I got to sleep on the couch that night. I felt a little ashamed that I wasn’t as devastated as I pretended to be.


	2. Regrets

As we woke up Saturday morning, Aaron made us bacon sarnies and brew. He looked tired. “I’m going home today” he told me. “Do you want to come with?” he continued. I thought about it. I needed to make amends, so I agreed to come with him. We ate in a not so comfortable silence. Even though it wasn’t that comfortable. Aaron wasn’t chatty to begin with. When we were done eating, we got dressed and Aaron called his mum to confirm coming over.

The drive seemed longer than usual. In the end I got him to talk a little, and he seemed to soften up to me. I felt ashamed of how I’d behaved the day before. I loved Aaron. He was good looking, loyal, and all you could ask for. I had had my head turned by the good looks of Robert. It was probably lucky he was straight. I would have lost Aaron. That was something I didn’t want to do.

Chas came out and welcomed us, outside the pub. She hugged Aaron and welcomed me. She never loved me, but I knew she didn’t like me that much. I comforted myself with the fact she probably never like any of Aaron’s boyfriends. We walked into the pub and sat down at a table close to the bar. Chas got us a pint each, and Aaron asked for a cheeseburger. I asked for the menu. I ordered a pie and chips and tried to keep up the conversation with Aaron. He seemed a bit off, but I think it has more to do with our fight yesterday, than anything else.

Vic came out and spotted us. She came up to the table and hugged Aaron and greeted me. I was happy to see her, she was a nice girl. She started moaning to Aaron about someone called Marlon. I didn’t know who that was, I never bothered that much with who was who in the village, or what happened. I knew Chas and I knew of Paddy. Not much more. I regretted that I never bothered now. We had met a year ago, been together for 9 months, and living together the last 6. And I only knew his mum and Paddy. I decided to make an effort now and invited Vic to sit with us. She gave me a smile and told me that Marlon would kill her if she did and escaped back into the kitchen. I shrugged. The door opened, and I knew who it was, by looking at Aarons face. It had to be Adam. I turned and saw the man walking up to our table. Aaron scooted over, and Adam sat down beside him.

It didn’t take long for Aaron to start chatting away. The only person Aaron was ever chatty with, was Adam. They laughed and bantered like children. As I watched Aaron I suddenly saw his focus shift from Adam to the entry door. The smile he had on his face froze, but it didn’t falter. I looked around. It was Robert who came in. I saw him check out the room and meet Aaron’s eyes. The smirk on his lips, turned into a smile. He headed over to us, and I moved so he could sit beside me.

As the day progressed, I realised that Robert may be straight, but he was flirting with my Aaron. Bantering, competing for his attention with Adam. Aaron enjoyed the attention. I just leant back and watched him for a while. It didn’t take long before my eyes searched for and found Robert. He looked even better in daylight. He didn’t even seem to notice that I was there, he totally ignored me. On the other hand, he didn’t seem to notice anyone but Aaron. He seemed to know Adam quite well, and I realised when Vic passed the table, why. Adam stretched a hand out and pinched her but. She laughed and kissed him, before she left to go back to the kitchen.

I wished I had payed more attention to Adam and Vic. In that case I would have known about Robert. Aaron left for the bogs, I looked around the table. Robert and Adam talked silently about something. No one paid me any attention. Aaron walked past us when he came back, and went in to the back rooms, to talk with his mum. Adam caught Vic and told her that he’d go home. She kissed his cheek before he left. Robert and I sat at the table, in an uncomfortable silence.

Robert looked at me and took his phone out. He checked his mail and his messages. I left for the bogs, and when I came back, Aaron was back. He sat opposite Robert and they were already deep in conversation about some car Chas had told Aaron about. His uncle obviously had a really nice car in his shop. Aaron looked at me apologetically and asked me if I wanted to come with them to look at the car.

We all left together. The garage was close, it was a short walk. Aaron and Robert chatted away, almost like Aaron behaved with Adam. They were bantering and talking about the car. Comparing it with some other car and stuff I didn’t neither understand nor cared about. As we approached the garage doors, Aaron went to get the keys, and opened it. Robert and Aaron climbed in, I followed. It took me all of five minutes to climb out again. I couldn’t fake interest anymore. I didn’t get the thrill with cars. I could hear them talking inside. I took a couple of breaths and tried to focus. I really didn’t want Robert to tell Aaron what I did, and since I didn’t know him, I didn’t know if he’d tell Aaron. I figured he had no reason to. But you never know. I decided to go back in. As I came in, I could see Robert and Aaron standing really close under the hood of the car. Roberts hand was on Aaron’s back and he was pointing at something in there. Aaron looked at it and turned to Robert. They were just an inch too close, and their eyes locked.

I coughed. Aaron almost jumped out of his skin and looked at me. He met my eyes and moved out from under the hood. He blushed a little. Robert also moved from under the hood. They both realised that Robert was still holding on to Aaron’s back, and he removed his arm. He smirked at me. I turned my back and went outside. Robert came out after me, and as Aaron came out, I saw Robert giving him a look. By now I was seriously doubting him being straight. The way he looked at Aaron and touched him. The flirting earlier. He was as straight as I was. And seemed totally taken with my boyfriend. My oblivious boyfriend.

We started to walk back. I suggested that Aaron and I’d go home, but Aaron declined, he told me he had accepted an invitation to dinner with his mum for the both of us. I had no choice. Specially since I didn’t want to leave him alone with Robert again. When we came back to the pub, it was my turn to buy the round and I went up to the bar to make the order.

When I turned, Aaron and Robert were sitting beside each other instead of in front of each other as they had before. I sat down in front of them. I still had a difficult time to tear my eyes of the handsome Robert, which is why I noticed his thighs touching Aarons, and his elbow bumping into my boyfriend more than I was comfortable with. When he ‘accidentally’ touched Aarons hand on the table one time too many, I reached out for it and took it. Aaron looked at me in surprise. Then he gave me a fond smile, and a wink. Robert looked at me with a calculating look on his face.

I started to worry a bit. Still I trusted Aaron. As his mum called us into the back room, Robert followed. I felt a little confused to why. Until we came into the back room, where both Chas and Diane stood, with the table set for five. I realised Robert was somehow connected to Diane, as she hugged him. We all sat down, Aaron in between me and Robert. I was starting to get annoyed. Was I imagining the way Robert and Aaron seemed to connect.

Diane proved to be a really nice lady. I was a bit miffed that she wasn’t Aaron’s mother. Diane took me in and was friendly and charming immediately. She was scolding Robert for not trying to ‘get out there’ again to meet another girl. And she wanted him to get over the divorce. I ground my teeth. I didn’t want him to, he seemed to have his eyes set on Aaron. And Aaron was mine.

Well, Robert was putting up competition as he started to talk about the car we’d seen in the garage. Both Chas and Diane had input, I was the only one left out. I sat back and watched the interaction between Aaron and Robert. I wondered if Chas and Diane saw the same thing I did. They seemed to have some kind of connection. They spoke, exchanged glances and touched like they’d known each other for ages, they even ended each other’s sentences. Chas seemed miffed about the way things evolved. She seemed to dislike Robert even more than she disliked me. I wondered if Aaron and Robert had any history together and if that could be the reason for her snide remarks and the unfriendly glances she cast his way.

“So, when did you two first meet” I couldn’t help asking. They looked at each other. ” Well, yesterday” Robert answered, and Aaron nodded. Diane laughed, “Actually” she said, “You first met when Andy got married to Katie” she continued. They looked at each other again. Curious. “I was twelve” Aaron said. Robert smirked “You played ‘Game boy’.” Robert said. Aaron blushed and nodded. Their eyes met. I cringed.

Diane and Chas left for the pub, Robert went out to the front again, Aaron and I lingered. I tried to pick up a conversation. We sat in the couch together. Aaron seemed a little distant. I blamed Robert, but as we spoke I realised he was still upset from yesterday. I decided to swallow my pride, get over it and ask for forgiveness. As I did Aaron nodded. He was grumpy, but never one to hold a grudge. I wanted to go home, but he wanted to stay. We decided to spend some time in the back, then I would go home, and he would stay in his old room, with his mum, and she’d drive him back home midday.

We turned the telly on, and sat in companionable silence, broken by small talk now and then. I was a bit worried and hoped that Robert had headed home by the time I left. He was not in the pub as we went through. I went outside, quite relieved. And saw him standing there speaking to Vic. They seemed to have a quiet argument. As we came out they stopped talking. Vic looked relieved when she saw that we were leaving. But Aaron soon told her he’d come back after he’d said goodbye to me. Robert lit up, and Vic looked angry.

Aaron kissed me before I left. As I drove out, I saw him catch up to Robert and Vic in the rear-view mirror. Robert put a hand on his arm. The last thing I saw was Aaron smiling up at him.


	3. Make or break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this it?

As Aaron arrived home on Sunday, I tried really hard not to accuse him of anything. I didn’t believe he’d done anything wrong. Aaron really was loyal. And just because I had been an idiot, didn’t mean he was. He was usually very oblivious of men and women flirting with him. I was more aware of how people around him looked at him than he was himself. Of course, I couldn’t put all my suspicions and jealousy away, and by dinner we were well into an argument.

He clammed up and told me I had trust issues. Logically I knew he was right. But when he had told me he’d invited Vic, Adam and Robert over for dinner the weekend to come, I’d just gone off. It didn’t matter to me that Vic and Adam were coming too. I slept on the couch that night to, and Aaron packed his bags to go home again. I managed to stop that the last minute, and he agreed to stay. I had really screwed up.

The week went by in a blur. Routine settled again, and by Friday we went shopping for groceries together. We had a good time and Aaron helped me pick out products and stuff, so I could try to impress Vic with my mad food-skills. We laughed at that.  
Saturday rolled around. As Aaron spent longer in the shower than he usually did, I started to get aggravated. When he came into the kitchen he was dressed in a tee and a hoodie some skinny jeans, and he’d put some product in his hair. He didn’t look dressed up, and that made me feel a bit easier. He asked me if he could help with the food, but as he did the doorbell went off. I smiled at him and told him to open the door and take care of our guests instead.

Moments later he came into the kitchen with Robert in tow. He handed me an expensive bottle of wine and told me we got it form Robert. I asked Robert what he wanted to drink, and Aaron brought him a bottle of beer, and opened one for himself. “Vic and Adam are running late. Robert was already in town” he told me. They moved out of the kitchen, since the table was already set, and I was busy with the food. I could see them through the door, they sat down beside each other in the couch. They seemed to gravitate towards each other. They sat with a decent gap between them, but soon they leant towards each other, and sat closer than I felt comfortable with.

When the doorbell rang, I saw Aaron jerk and realise how close they sat. I stayed hid in the kitchen and kept my eyes on them. Vic and Adam came into the kitchen and said hello, Vic handed me a bottle of wine, and then left me with my food. I regretted my decision to impress her, since I was stuck in the kitchen. But since I had a full view of the living room. If Aaron hadn’t been my boyfriend I would have been amused at the way Robert and him connected, seemingly without noticing themselves. Vic and Adam sat down in one of the chairs, while Robert sat on one side of the couch with his arm on the backrest. Aaron sat down beside him. It didn’t take long for them to sit so close together their thighs and sides touched. Aaron was almost as entwined with Robert, as Vic and Adam were.

When dinner was ready I invited them into the kitchen. I saw to it that Aaron was seated between me and Adam. I immediately regretted it. As Robert and Aaron locked looks, I realised that it was a bad decision if I wanted to keep them apart. And I did. The meal was a hit with everybody, well except Aaron, but he was a really fussy eater. The wine Robert brought was well suited with it. I caught Aaron and Robert staring at each other more than I felt comfortable with. After dinner I made Aaron’s favourite dessert. He looked childishly happy when I put it in front of him.

I decided to serve coffee in the living room. Vic and Adam plonked down in the same chair. Nuzzling together. I sat in my corner of the couch, Aaron sat down in “his” space, and Robert took the other corner. Both Robert and I had our arms at the back of the couch, and Aaron sat in the middle. He looked stiff. As soon as he could Aaron stood up and started to clear the table. He put the dishes in the machine, an uncomfortable silence spread in the room. I kept glancing at Robert, whose eyes were set on the man in the kitchen. Following every move, he made.

Aaron came back with a round of beer, and went back for wine, for Vic. He sat down in the couch, between us again. As he leant back I let my hand nuzzle the nape of his neck. He turned and looked at me. I saw Adam looking at him, he looked curious. His eyes were set on Aarons shoulder. I leant forward to put my beer on the table and to catch a glance at what Adam was looking at. Robert’s fingers were playing with Aarons shirt on his shoulder, none of them seemed to notice though. I looked over at Robert who met my eyes, and immediately pulled his hand away.

Adam looked at me, and then at Aaron again. He smirked at me. He seemed to look right through me. I got angry. I looked at Robert and it just blurted out “you told me you were straight, but here you are, flirting and touching my boyfriend” my voice sounded angry I was caught up in my jealousy. Both the way Robert were behaving towards Aaron, who in all honesty seemed oblivious. But also, that he’d rejected me.

Adam was the one who reacted to my wording. “How come that issue came up?” He asked. I blushed, and Aaron looked at me with a challenge in his eyes. “Yeah how did that subject come up?” he asked. I squirmed. Robert said nothing. I couldn’t even blame him for this. Robert had said nothing, and not hinted at anything of how I behaved that first night. I didn’t answer, neither did Robert, thank God.

After that the mood kind of descended. Robert decided to leave first. Adam and Vic soon followed. Awkward silence spread between me and Aaron. He looked at me, raised an eyebrow, and challenged me with a look. I actually blushed. I screwed up. I couldn’t get out of this. I told Aaron what I’d done that first night. The night ended with him packing his stuff, leaving in a taxi. We didn’t end it, but we were ‘on a break’. I felt incredibly stupid, but there was nothing I could do.


	4. Back in the village

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Through Vic's eyes

I never seen Robert behave like he done with Aaron. First at the pub, when they first met, then at work in the Woolie, and then at his home, in front of Aaron’s boyfriend. The subtle touches, he didn’t even seem to notice himself. The looks they exchanged, the way they spoke. 

They even ended each other’s sentences. I hadn’t seen him like that before, not with his former wife, or any of the girlfriends he’d ever introduced me to. And it wasn’t only him. I’d met all of Aaron’s former boyfriends and I never seen him behave this way with anyone but Adam, maybe, in parts. But never this fast. Aaron took ages to get to know, and to like. And he himself was suspicious by nature, and didn’t let people in until he trusted them, and that usually took a long time. It’d taken months with his recent boyfriend. But now, he seemed to thrive under my brother’s attention. Still, he didn’t seem to think that it was in anyway romantic. As his boyfriend did.

When I heard first Adam, then Aaron pointing out the formulation, about Robert being straight and how his boyfriend would know that. When Robert didn’t answer. I knew something was wrong. I could feel it, and I could see it. The air seemed to tense up, and the mood went. Robert left first. We followed soon after. I was half expecting Aaron to come with us. But I realised he wanted to speak to his boyfriend and give him the benefit of a doubt. I knew that Aaron was really committed to this relationship. He moved away, he’d got a job and he didn’t come home to visit that often, even if it wasn’t that far. He knew that his boyfriend wasn’t really into country life, and that him and his mother didn’t really get along. When I came to think about it. Chas hated Robert even more. I smirked.

Later that night, I spotted the taxi driving up to the pub I knew it was Aaron. I sent Adam over not to pry, but to comfort Aaron. Cause I knew he’d be upset. Then I decided to phone my brother, to try to find out what had really happened, so I’d know. It didn’t take long for Robert to tell me what had happened in the bar and the restroom that first night. I was angry on Aarons behalf. But somewhere I was proud of my brother for not taking advantage of the situation like I knew people expected from him. I raised him a notch in my mind. He was really a good guy who deserved better than he’d gotten up ‘til now. So, when he asked me why I’d called, I just told him to go to the pub. I wanted to be right about this.

When Adam came back, he told me that Robert had shown up, and that he’d left them talking at the bar. He felt a bit guilty for setting things off, I could see. But I knew, like me, he never liked Aarons boyfriend. But we’d both put it off with the notion that no one would ever be good enough for him. I told Adam what Robert had told me, and we talked about it for a while.

A couple of days later Robert showed up at work, early in the afternoon. He looked around, before he sat down, and I offered to make him some food. He accepted, and I decided to make him a pie. I knew Aaron was expected home from work soon. He was doing his last week at the garage in town, and had hooked up with his family, starting in Debbie’s garage Monday to come. It didn’t seem like he was going back to his boyfriend. He cut all ties.

As I came out with the pie, Aaron entered the pub. I looked at him and asked if I should start with a cheeseburger. He smirked and nodded. “Yeah” he uttered, looked around in the dark room. He saw Robert and walked past me, to sit down at his table. I brought him a pint and went to the kitchen to start with his meal. When I came back they were absorbed in a conversation concerning Robert’s job. They were deep in discussion, totally engrossed with one and other. Aaron hardly noticed me bringing him the food. Which was odd.

I smiled and stayed a while listening to their conversation. I tried to check up on them during the afternoon. They soon left together, to check something or other out. They left in Robert’s car, and wasn’t back until early evening. Still absorbed in a conversation. I could see Robert touching Aaron, and they sat beside each other instead of opposite, and close. Bodies touching. Aaron still seemed oblivious. But my brother seemed totally infatuated. I decided to nudge them in the right direction. But when I arrived at the table with a pint each for them, I spotted Robert’s hand on Aaron’s thigh.

Before the night ended, I saw them sneak off into the back rooms. Diane came out of there a couple of minutes later all flustered. Chas turned to look at her, I smirked when Diane told her to stay out of the living room. She made a face. I snuck in the back and opened the door, just a little bit, to sneak a look. I was happy to see my brother and my best friend tangled in an embrace, fiercely kissing ripping each other's clothes. I closed the door and left them alone.


End file.
